


It's a funny thing, reality.

by xFictionalDesiresx



Category: The Vampire Diaries (TV), The Vampire Diaries - L. J. Smith
Genre: F/M, Real or not real, Romance, phoenix stone, prompt, s7
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-18
Updated: 2016-01-18
Packaged: 2018-05-14 19:19:50
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,407
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5755144
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xFictionalDesiresx/pseuds/xFictionalDesiresx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Prompt from tumblr: </p><p>"Let's play a game" </p><p>"Caroline, it's two in the monring" </p><p>"I don't get your point" </p><p>A/N: based after the phoenix stone drama, set in s7. Baisically a real or not real situation where Caroline helps Stefna put the peices back together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	It's a funny thing, reality.

**Author's Note:**

> So this is something a little longer and different from what I write, but I like how it turned out! This is set after Stefan escapes from the phoenix stone and outlines how Caroline helps him put the pieces together, enjoy!

.

.

.

It's all a blur really.

 

First he is running and then he’s falling and now he is screaming.

 

Jumping out of his skin as he bolts upright, the covers falling around him. Beads of sweat falling down his skin as he tries to regain his breath.

 

_In out. In out. In out._

 

The room around him is dark and he somehow thinks that this makes it worse. He has woken from darkness to still be engulfed in it. No relief coming in waking.

 

Eventually the screaming stops. A delicate hand finding it's way to the bare skin of his shoulder, thumb caressing the skin soothing him softly.

 

He doesn't even have to turn to know she is staring at him with her sad smile, her _"I'm so sorry you're going through this"_ smile.

 

He knows because they have done this before.

 

Too many times before.

 

And for one moment he finds himself feeling sorry for her. A small instinct telling him to let her go, that she didn't deserve any of this. She signed up for her hero haired Stefan, not the version the stone created.

 

But just like all those times, he is brought out of his thoughts by her arms snaking around his waist and her chin resting on his shoulder.

 

She plants two, three, kisses on the curve of his neck before finally speaking.

 

"Nightmare?" she asks, voice hushed. Even though the answer is already there she still has to ask.

 

It's routine.

 

He nods simply.

 

"It's okay. You're okay. We're okay" she repeats.

 

"How do you know?"

 

"Because you're here, you're safe and you're with me"

 

He can't help but smile at the familiar words.

 

"I love you"

 

"I know"

 

He takes her hand, the one stroking her thigh, intertwines their fingers and brings it up to his lips. A small kiss is placed on the palm.

 

They sit there for a while in complete silence, their fingers playing with each other softly, one of his hands running through her hair, her lips continuing to soothe his skin. It takes a while but eventually he manages to get his breathing back to somewhat normal. Well, he can't exactly take the credit. He knows it was all her.

 

When she gasps suddenly and removes herself from his side to sit in front of him with a smile, he knows what's coming.

 

She tucks her legs underneath her and reaches out to grab his face, cupping either side as she grins excitedly.

 

"Let's play a game"

 

He cocks his eyebrow at her.

 

"Caroline, it's two in the morning"

 

"I don't get your point"

 

Stefan shakes his head as he laughs. Wow, he hasn't done that in a while.

 

Leaning over him, she reaches for the bedside table, retrieving a small notebook and pen, before returning to her cross-legged position.

 

He reaches up and begins fiddling with her hair again, dragging his hand in and out through the strands.

 

Despite being completely occupied, he can see her scowl boring into him from below.

 

Chuckling under his breath, he brings his other hand up and continues his movements on both sides.

 

"Go on" he tells her, placing a small kiss in the middle of her forehead.

 

She smiles brightly.

 

"You're name is"

 

"Stefan Salvatore"

 

"And you are"

 

"A vampire"

 

They developed this game a few months ago, back when his nightmares first started. He sat in the corner of their room trembling as he muttered over and over again "this is not real".

 

It became a routine for them, waking up at the strike of midnight and embracing each other until his breath evened and his eyes slipped closed.

 

As the days went on the nightly sessions got more tiring, more excruciating for both of them. It was in the middle of the third week when she decided to make him write it all down. Everything from his name to his past. A list of all the things he can and can't remember.

 

Every night since then they would play this little game. She would read off the list and he would complete her sentence.

 

If it was real she would nod and if it wasn't...well he was greeted with a little more terror if it wasn't.

 

"In 1920 you were"

 

"I was a ripper" he says bowing his head.

 

She strokes his knee in comfort.

 

"But"

 

"But now I am in the clear. Over 5 years in the clear"

 

They both lock eyes as they smile. It's like a secret they are both sharing. They know exactly the reason for his sobering.

 

"You live in”

 

"Mystic Falls"

 

"And you have been living there for"

 

"Over 160 years"

 

"Do you have siblings"

 

"Yes, a brother"

 

"And he is called"

 

He pauses momentarily. The item on their little list that always trips him up.

 

But, instead of screaming or fisting something in rage, he smiles. Despite his grip tightening in her hair, she takes this as progress.

 

"Damon Salvatore"

 

They continue this for what feels like hours, going over everything she has etched down on that pad.

 

"Your first love"

 

"Katherine"

 

"How did you become a vampire"

 

"I was shot"

 

"Who is Elena Gilbert?"

 

"Someone in the past"

 

She smiles at this. Even when she is supposed to be helping him he still finds ways to help her and her stupid insecurities.

 

“Wait”

 

“Yes”

 

“Me and Elena, the break wasn’t real right”

 

For a pure moment she goes stiff. Questions flurrying around her mind as to what exactly he saw in that stone. What he thought they were if in his mind he was with another woman.

 

When he gives her a smirk she releases the breathe she didn’t know she was holding.

 

“Shut up” she tells him, slapping him on the chest.

 

Eventually, they reach her favourite topic. It might seem a little narcissistic, but she doesn't care.

 

"And who am I?" she asks, scooting closer towards him.

 

"You" he begins.

 

Gently he brings her forehead to his and breathes her in. God knows how much he missed this when he was trapped in purgatory.

 

"Are Caroline Forbes"

 

She is just about to ask him the next question when he continues.

 

At first, she is a little disorientated. None of this is on the list.

 

However, she manages to choke back her irritation at the lack of control as he begins to speak.

 

"Eternal optimist, control freak and an adorable one may I add"

 

He kisses her cheek as she giggles

 

"My vampire protege, my sober sponsor, my best friend, my hunting buddy, my partner in crime"

 

A smile spreads on her face, bright and wide, as he plants kisses all over her face, muttering each word on her skin. She likes hearing all of these things, likes the fact that here there is no list. It's just him. And that makes everything so much better.

 

He finishes his kisses and grabs her face firmly, bringing her eyes to gaze into his.

 

"You, Caroline Forbes, are my something even better. You are the first person that accepted me fully. You are literally the sunshine in my life"

 

His hands pull on a loose strand of hair to make his point.

 

"But most importantly, you are the woman I love. And it hurts me that you will never know just how much I love you"

 

Unable to resist any longer she closes the gap and pull his lips onto hers. They kiss deeply and she swears she can actually feel the love pouring out of him.

 

She pulls back and reassumes their position of head to head.

 

"And me, am I real?" she asks, remembering the point of this entire exercise.

 

"You are the realest thing I have ever had in my entire existence"

 

Once again she finds herself leaning in, pressing her lips against his, before pushing them back down onto the bed.

 

It’s when she is finally snuggled up in his side that his eyes finally begin to drop, sleep now taking control. It’s also when she decides to follow him, pressing one last kiss to his chest before falling asleep to his muffled I love you.

 

She knows that this won’t be the last time they lie awake, leaving sleep behind them as she focuses on convincing him that this is real.

 

But that is something she is more than okay with.

 

Because their reality is much better that any dream could possibly be.


End file.
